Begin A Career As An Organisational Psychologist Today

You may have heard of the term Psychology. How about Organisational Psychology? Did you know that it is one of 15 recognised specialties in professional psychology in the United States?

What is Industrial and Organisational Psychology?

Industrial and organisational psychology (I-O psychology), which is also known as occupational psychology, organisational psychology, and work and organisational psychology, is an applied discipline within psychology. I-O psychology is the scientific study of working and the application of that science to workplace issues facing individuals, teams, and organizations. The scientific method is applied to investigate issues of critical relevance to individuals, businesses, and society.

I-O psychology has the aim of increasing an organisation’s productivity and performance levels, and how the workplace itself affects the behaviour of individuals on an interpersonal, instead of an intra-personal, level. There are many variables that determine how well an organisation or company operates. Effective communication and conflict resolution, process evaluation, professional competence, and effective management are examples of the components necessary for businesses to succeed.

What Do Industrial-Organisational Psychologists Do?

An I-O psychologist conducts research in a multi-level approach, attempting to understand behavioral phenomena from both the level of the organisation and the level of the individual worker. This research might be aimed at increasing employee productivity, developing screening procedures for new applicants, increasing overall workplace quality, or getting to the root of a work-related issue that is interfering with performance.

In studying the results of existing research or conducting original research, an I-O psychologist might use a number of different research and evaluation methods. They might carry out observational studies of employees in action, or conduct surveys, for instance. An I-O psychologist might also study workplace policies, and other similar documents.

By looking closely at the results of research done on workplaces and organizations, an I-O psychologist might be able to solve any number of issues. For instance, they might be able to:

Identify training and development needs;

Formulate and implement training programs, and evaluate their effectiveness;

Increase productivity in the workplace;

Develop screening procedures for new applicants;

Increase the quality of the workplace;

Coach employees;

Counsel unhappy employees on personal and work related matters;

Draft the company policies so that it is inclusive;

Help rewrite company policies so that they benefit everyone involved;

Design and optimise job and work and quality of work life;

Develop criteria to evaluate performance of individuals and organizations; and

I-O psychologists will typically work closely with the different stakeholders within the organisation including the business owners, CEOs, supervisors, and employees.

Where Do Industrial-Organisational Psychologists Work?

An I-O psychologist might work in all types of organisational and workplace settings, such as manufacturing, commercial enterprises, labor unions, and health care facilities.

Other I-O psychologists work in research or hold academic positions in colleges and universities. In addition, they are qualified as trainers, facilitators, assessors, coaches and consultants. While many I-O psychologists work directly for companies in human resources departments, others might work as independent consultants.